BEIJING, CHINA - FEBRUARY 19: Members of a local neighbourhood committee wear protective masks as they control entrance to a local hutong as part of government efforts to control the spread of the coronavirus on February 19, 2020 in Beijing, China. The number of cases of the deadly new coronavirus COVID-19 rose to more than 58000 in mainland China Wednesday, in what the World Health Organization (WHO) has declared a global public health emergency. China continued to lock down the city of Wuhan in an effort to contain the spread of the pneumonia-like disease which medicals experts have confirmed can be passed from human to human. In an unprecedented move, Chinese authorities have maintained and in some cases tightened the travel restrictions on the city which is the epicentre of the virus and also in municipalities in other parts of the country affecting tens of millions of people. The number of those who have died from the virus in China climbed to over 2000 on Wednesday mostly in Hubei province, and cases have been reported in other countries including the United States, Canada, Australia, Japan, South Korea, India, the United Kingdom, Germany, France and several others. The World Health Organization has warned all governments to be on alert and screening has been stepped up at airports around the world. Some countries, including the United States, have put restrictions on Chinese travellers entering and advised their citizens against travel to China. (Photo by Kevin Frayer/Getty Images)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has urged all Ghanaian nationals living in China, especially Guangdong Province to remain calm and stay in touch with Ghana’s Mission in Beijing and the Consulate- General in Guangzhou in the event of any worrying development.
This comes after a meeting between the Chinese authorities and African Ambassadors convened on the back of the ill-treatment against black foreigners.
We’re sleeping on the streets – Ghanaians in Guandong lament after eviction
Chinese authorities reportedly kicked out Black foreigners from the Guangdong province following a spike in imported coronavirus cases in the country.
A Ghanaian, Mary Frempong living in Shenzhen who is distressed at the development taking place in that jurisdiction told Kasapa 102.5 FM that black foreigners have taken shelter in the streets since local police began throwing them out from their homes.
“The situation here is very sad. Landlords have been sternly warned by authorities to eject black foreigners from their flats. Just yesterday, some two Ghanaians called to inform me about this same matter as they had spend the night in the vehicle of their friend who’s a Chinese. He was kind enough to provide shelter for them in his car because he couldn’t host them in his home. We don’t know where to turn to or lay our heads. We’ve become outcast overnight. Life is really becoming difficult. You can’t enter any shop neither can you patronize any social service just because you’re a foreigner,” she told host Kweku Owusu Adjei.
But in a statement issued by the Foreign Affairs Ministry said the two parties have reached a middle-ground as the Chinese government has taken immediate steps to stop the targeting of and ill-treatment meted out to Africans, particularly Ghanaians living in the Guangdong Province.
“The Government of Ghana has taken note of this development and is keenly monitoring the situation,” the statement stressed.
Meanwhile, Ghanaian nationals have been advised to call on(+8618612081400 +8618612959040) to share concerns of further occurrences.
